Songs

Here are a few of the songs that I have either written, or performed with Jo Cullum

The original version of this song was written for me by my late brother Mike and was entitled ‘The Fisherman’s Lament’, but I felt that it needed to be relevant to the times we were living in.

I had just signed up to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s ‘Fish Fight’, which was trying to encourage the general public to eat different types of fish and persuade the EU to abandon the ‘Discard Quota System’. Tons of fish, 50% were thrown back dead into the sea, because they were either too small, or the wrong type. Such a waste! I re-wrote the song to reflect this fact and to highlight the dangers and loneliness that befall those that are brave enough to bring fish to our tables.

The song became my contribution to Folk Around Fispond’s charity CD – ‘Now That’s What I Call FAF!’

Catch of the Day – Written by Mike Goodfield and Steve Goodfield

Songs from the Caravan

Imogen, Imagine When… Coal it was King – Written by Steve Goodfield

This was my first attempt at songwriting. Through my work, I occasionally visited Nottingham and would stay in a very nice boutique hotel, run by a quite extraordinary woman called Imogen. Her father had worked in the mining industry and after his death the only way Imogen could ‘keep alive’ her family home was for it to become a hotel. The song contrasts her life ‘In the light’ with those of the miners ‘Working the seams’ – both dependent upon coal.

Songs from the Caravan

Turned Out Nice Again! – Written by Steve Goodfield

I wrote this song to play at The Vicar’s Busk, a charity gig held annually in the garden of The Globe Inn, Frampton Cotterell, in support of WaterAid. Many years ago, whilst working in Mumbai, the temperature was in excess of 45 degrees and a colleague looked up at the clear blue sky and said… “Mmm… turned out nice gain!”. I was reminded, when I first sang this song, that the title was in fact the catch-phrase of George Formby. I should have remembered, I’d watched enough of his films when I was a kid.

The song concerns a young girl living in a world where clean water is just a dream.

Songs from the Caravan

Long Black Veil – Written by Danny Mill and Marijohn Wilkin

Songs from the Caravan

Bold Riley O

The origins of ‘Bold Riley O’ appear to be shrouded in mystery; it doesn’t appear in Stan Hugill’s 1961 shanty ‘Bible’, Shanties from the Seven Seas, or any earlier collections. Its first appearance seems to be A.L. Lloyd singing it in 1962 on the Prestige album, A Sailor’s Garland.Songs from the Caravan

Edge of the World – Written by Nell Bryden

Songs from the Caravan

My Granddad’s War – Written by Steve Goodfield

This song was inspired by a childhood memory of the day my Granddad mentioned his experiences of The Great War of 1914-1918. His memory was triggered by listening to Gracie Fields singing The Roses of Picardy on the radio. He would never mention the war again!

Got No Home – Written by Steve Goodfield

This song was written for Street-Life, a charity that helps the homeless in Bristol.

The song is based on the life of a homeless man, who by circumstance, is forced to call a shop doorway – home!